A soldier threatened a pub landlord calling him a ‘dead man walking’ after being reported to police, a court heard.
Landlord Darryl Dronsfield made a statement to police after spotting Steven Hulme being involved in an ‘altercation’ on November 27.
Burnley Crown Court heard how Hulme, of Percy Street, Accrington, later turned up at the Kings Arms in Accrington where Mr Dronsfield worked and verbally threatened him before later sending him a menacing Facebook message.
Hulme, 46, who has nine previous convictions for 10 offences, pleaded guilty to threatening to take revenge and was jailed for six months, suspended for two years.
Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, told the court how Mr Dronsfield was working behind the bar on November 29 when Hulme approached him and said ‘You are dead in the water’.
Mr Dronsfield replied: ‘what do you mean by that?’, before Hulme said ‘You are a grass, watch this space’ and left the pub.
The court heard how Mr Dronsfield received a Facebook message about one hour later from Hulme which said ‘I’m going to destroy you, you grassing b******. Say goodbye to everything you know’.
Miss Kehoe said Mr Dronsfield then felt the need to contact police as he was ‘concerned’ the threats were ‘continuing to escalate’.
A police officer attended the pub and viewed the Facebook message before arresting Hulme at his home later that evening.
The court heard how, when he was being arrested, he shouted to the police ‘I’m going to destroy that b******’ before repeating the threat again as he was handcuffed.
Hulme was taken to Greenbank police station in Blackburn and as he was being booked in told police again ‘He’s a dead man walking’.
When interviewed Hulme made no comment to all questions and spent five days in custody before being remanded on bail.
Mark Stuart, defending, said this was ‘undoubtedly extremely unpleasant for the landlord’ and said Hulme pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Sentencing, Recorder Howard Bentham QC said: “I have no doubt you were full of alcohol when you these threats were made but you can understand why the courts take it pretty seriously.
“You are a soldier.”
